Undergraduate Nursing
Nursing RN to BSN Program
Faculty
Linda C. Valenzuela (Associate Professor and Dean of the School of Nursing)
Mission
The Associate to Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree provides a course of study designed for the working registered nurse who desires to enhance their career opportunities while developing leadership skills. The program incorporates some general education requirements into BSN courses thus allowing for timely completion of the degree. Essential areas of baccalaureate nursing education content not provided in associate degree nursing education are incorporated in order to expand the RN's education to the BSN degree. This includes: community and population health, nursing research and evidence-based nursing practice, systems management, and nursing leadership.
This bachelor degree completion program for the RN is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), adhering to NNU's commitment to the core values of Transformation, Truth, Community, and Service.
RN-BSN Goal Statement
The goal of the RN to BSN program at Northwest Nazarene University is to equip baccalaureate prepared nurses to practice as nurse leaders who:
- Advocate for individuals, families and communities through evidence-based care;
- Use clinical thinking and clinical judgment to implement evidence-based care;
- Are engaged in and influence health policy in a variety of settings;
- Serve God and humanity with wisdom, integrity, caring, and respect for cultural diversity.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Graduates of the Northwest Nazarene University RN to BSN Program will demonstrate the abilities to:
- Apply theories and concepts from scientific and liberal arts education into nursing practice.
- Demonstrate leadership and communication skills to effectively implement patient safety and quality improvement initiatives within the context of the interprofessional team in a variety of settings.
- Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of care in a variety of settings.
- Incorporates ethical standards of data security, regulatory requirements, and confidentiality in the use of patient care technologies to address the needs of a diverse patient population.
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of healthcare policy, finance, and structure at the local, regional, national, and global levels in order to advocate for patients and the profession.
- Advocate for high quality, evidence based, safe patient care as a member of the interprofessional and intraprofessional teams to optimize patient outcomes.
- Collaborate to develop interventions that take into account social determinants of health, available resources, and the range of activities that contribute to health and the prevention of illness, injury, disability, and premature death for vulnerable populations.
- Integrate values reflective of the character of God and the Christian worldview as well as those of professional ethics into their daily practice of nursing and the advancement of nursing as a profession.
- Implement the role of the nurse generalist through the nursing process to provide holistic, patient-centered care that reflects an understanding of human growth and development, pathophysiology, pharmacology, clinical, and nursing management across the health-illness in all healthcare settings.
These outcomes reflect the expectations of the AACN Essentials for Baccalaureate Nursing Education and the mission of the University and the Department of Nursing.
Program Admission Requirements
To receive full admission to the program, applicants are required to:
- Provide proof of a current, unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license, and
- Be in good standing with the licensing body for RN licensure, and
- Hold current employment as an RN (highly recommended, but not required), and
- Submit a personal goal statement:
- The goal statement is reviewed by the College of Nursing Admissions Committee and is an opportunity to share what is important for us to know about you.
- In a 250–300-word essay, please address the following:
- Brief background of your nursing career.
- Why have your selected NNU and why now?
- Why this program is the best fit for you?
- How will earning your NNU BSN change your career path?
- An associate degree in nursing from a regionally accredited institution (or to be completed by the end of the semester in which the applicant applies), and
- Cumulative GPA of 2.5* or higher.
Exceptions to regular admission requirements must be approved by the Program Director.
A minimum grade of "C" or "P" is required for each of these courses and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. The admission GPA will be taken from the most recent transcript.
All equivalent general education transfer courses must be approved through the NNU Registrar's Office.
Transfer Credit
Non-Nursing Transfer Credits
Non-nursing transfer credits for approved associate degrees will be determined by the NNU Registrar's Office up to the maximum of 62 credits from a community college or two year institution per NNU Policy.
There is no time limit on prerequisites or non-nursing courses accepted for transfer.
Upper Division Nursing Courses*
Students accepted into the RN to BSN may transfer credits up to 25% (6 credits) of previously completed upper division baccalaureate level nursing course work from a regionally accredited institution. All transfer of baccalaureate level nursing courses, as well as transfer of non-nursing required courses for the RN to BSN, must be approved by the RN to BSN Program Director for determination of equivalency.
*All baccalaureate level nursing credits must have been earned within four years of admission to the RN to BSN Program and approved by the Program Director.
Transfer of Associate Degrees for the RN to BSN Program
An RN student who enrolls at Northwest Nazarene University with an Associate of Arts (AA) or an Associate of Science (AS) degree in Nursing from a regionally accredited institution will receive:
- Transfer credit up to a maximum of 62 credits from a two-year institution; and
- Forty (40) credits of nursing electives for successful completion of the National Council Licensing Exam-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN), of which nine credits will be upper-division; and
- Waiver of all general education requirements, with the following exceptions:
- THEO2100 or THEO2105 (3) Introduction to Christian Theology; and
- Math Proficiency (An equivalent transfer course may be substituted for this requirement)
An RN student who enrolls at Northwest Nazarene University with an associate degree in nursing from a regionally accredited institution other than an AA or AS will receive:
- Transfer credit up to a maximum of 62 credits from a two-year institution
- Forty (40) credits of nursing electives for successful completion of the National Council Licensing Exam-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN), of which nine credits will be upper-division
- Waiver of all general education requirements, with the following exceptions:
(An equivalent transfer course may be substituted for the following requirements with the exception of Introduction to Christian Theology, which must be taken at NNU.)
Degrees and Certificates
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Bachelor of Science in Nursing: RN to BSN -
Bachelor of Science in Nursing: RN-BSN-MSN Accelerated Pathway